On July 24, 2010, the Delhi impoundment dam on the Maquoketa River failed causing considerable damage downstream with millions of cubic yards of sediment that was flushed from the lake bed, blanketing farm fields, woodlands, sidewalks, roads, homes, and businesses with silt and sand. The failure also resulted in dramatic downstream river habitat damage from rapid, severe erosion moving upstream from the failed dam (more than 200,000 cubic yards of sediment released by head-cutting).

We invite you to join us in supporting the restoration of the Maquoketa River and opposing the use of state monies towards rebuilding a failed dam that would re-create an environmentally and economically costly river impoundment. An email sent to IowaWhitewater@yahoo.com will confirm your support and we'll add you to the list. Please include the community in which you live.

We believe in the need to invest in a vision of an environmentally healthy Iowa with a healthy, free flowing Maquoketa River being an important part of that vision (clean water, support of native aquatic species, in state recreational opportunities such as great fishing, paddling, scenery, and wild-life viewing).

From the environmental standpoint, river restoration is a clear winner over re-creating the impoundment. Dams disrupt aquatic habitat, decrease habitat complexity, decrease species diversity, and have detrimental effects on water quality. Most Iowa impoundments used as multipurpose reservoirs have ratios of 40 to 1 or less. The Lake Delhi impoundment ratio is 500 acres of watershed for each 1 acre of impoundment surface (223,630 acre watershed, 448 acre lake). This impoundment ratio means that dredging would be an ongoing necessity (5 year cycle predicted with increased need following flood events, $2,200,000 dredging cost for 2006 which was mostly negated by the floods of 2008).

Please take a moment to download and read the full text of our call to restore the Maquoketa River.

We thank you for your dedication to healthy rivers. We urgently need to know if you or your organization will actively support this effort. If you have any questions please feel comfortable in calling Peter Komendowski personally at 319.269.8493.

Please be sure to share your thoughts and concerns with your Iowa representative and senator. Click here to view leadership in the The Iowa Legislature 2012 General Assembly. This page also has links to all legislators and a link to search for your district's representative and senator.